Fairfield of Notre Dame's #11 Daniel Upchurch goes up to the hoop, during boys basketball action against Fairfield Warde from the Fairfield Prep Holiday Classic at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn. on Friday December 30, 2011.

Fairfield of Notre Dame's #11 Daniel Upchurch goes up to the hoop, during boys basketball action against Fairfield Warde from the Fairfield Prep Holiday Classic at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn. on

Highlights from boys basketball action between Staples and Norwalk at Staples in Westport, Conn. on Wednesday December 14, 2011. Staples' #31 Pete Rankowitz drives the ball.

Highlights from boys basketball action between Staples and Norwalk at Staples in Westport, Conn. on Wednesday December 14, 2011. Staples' #31 Pete Rankowitz drives the ball.

Photo: Christian Abraham

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Prep's Tim Butala reaches for the ball as Fairfield Prep challenges HIllhouse at East Haven High School in the Class LL boys semifinal game in New Haven, CT on Weds. March 14, 2012.

Prep's Tim Butala reaches for the ball as Fairfield Prep challenges HIllhouse at East Haven High School in the Class LL boys semifinal game in New Haven, CT on Weds. March 14, 2012.

Photo: Shelley Cryan

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High school boys basketball: Season preview

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Players to watch

Quincy McKnight, St. Joseph: After playing the part of role player -- with the occasional big game -- in the Cadets' back-to-back Class LL crowns, the 6-foot-3 junior swingman now seems poised to step into a starring role.

Bernard Brantley, Stratford: The last remaining link to the Red Devils' 2010 Class M title is the area's best all-around guard, posting 19.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a junior.

Danny Upchurch, ND-Fairfield: A 1,000-point scorer, the senior guard will try to lead the Lancers back to the top of the SWC after falling short against Immaculate in the title game last season.

Matt Gerak, Masuk: Senior guard will likely be sidelined until January with a hip injury. A talented scorer when healthy, he averaged 16.9 points as a junior.

Marcus Blackwell, Central: Sophomore settled into a spot in the starting lineup at Central after beginning last year at ND-Fairfield. The 6-foot-4 forward is a natural talent and should get even better with a little refinement to his game.

Isaac Vann, Bunnell: All signs point to a potential breakout player here. The junior 6-foot-3 forward was an 11-point, 8-rebound player with an eye-catching 3.6 blocks per contest.

Ian Gardner, Kolbe Cathedral: Forward was a complementary player to the Cougars' talented backcourt a year ago. With those players gone, he should make an even bigger impact on games.

Bunnell: On paper the Bulldogs have the look of a serious contender in the SWC. Senior guard Matt Nolting and his 19-point scoring average are back and the sky seems to be the limit for Isaac Vann after a promising tail-end to his sophomore campaign. The Bulldogs have a nice supporting cast, to boot.

Fairfield Prep: No, the Jesuits no longer have their all-everything guy, Terry Tarpey, to rely on. What they do have is a deep, skilled lineup that's won over 40 games the last two seasons. Oh, and Prep now has 7-foot center Paschal Chukwu, who played the last two years at Trinity Catholic, in the fold.

Staples: Sharpshooter Peter Rankowitz and a load of seniors have the Wreckers in position to perhaps be a surprise team in the FCIAC.

Storylines to watch

New-look St. Joseph: Everybody knew St. Joseph would be a vastly different squad this season with the graduations of Timajh Parker, James Jennings and Patrick Hopkins -- the backbone of the back-to-back Class LL champions. The Cadets took an even more radical change when Vito Montelli, the only coach in the school's history, decided to call it a career after 878 victories in August. While St. Joseph will have a different feel with longtime assistant Chris Watts now in charge, few -- if any -- will take this team lightly.

Balanced FCIAC: There doesn't seem to be a consensus preseason league favorite, unlike previous seasons. The usual suspects -- St. Joseph and Trinity Catholic -- figure to be good. Ridgefield, with returning guard Kurt Steidl, should be a factor. Opposing coaches are high on the likes of Central, Norwalk and Danbury. Defending league champ Bassick can't be discounted, either. The scramble for the top eight should prove fun to watch.

An alpha dog in the SWC?: Immaculate came, seemingly, out of nowhere to win the league -- and Class S -- last season. ND-Fairfield, Bunnell and Kolbe Cathedral return strong teams, while Bethel can rely on Bryant-bound standout Daniel Garvin. Stratford should have a puncher's chance so long as it has Bernard Brantley. It may take some time to sort this race out.

Academically speaking: The SCC appears to be Hillhouse's to lose. The core of last year's team that made it to the Class LL final, including high-scoring guard Andre Anderson, is back. Hillhouse has had Fairfield Prep's number the last couple years. Can the Jesuits -- or anyone -- unseat the Academics?

Games to watch

St. Joseph at Ridgefield, tonight, 7: A new era in Connecticut high school basketball without Vito Montelli begins. They'll be no love lost here since these teams met in the Class LL quarterfinals. St. Joseph came out on top in game that also featured a scheduling kerfuffle leading into it.

Central at Trinity Catholic, tonight, 7: One of these teams can make an opening-night statement.

Stratford at Bunnell, Dec. 18: Non-league meeting of town rivals should be a good one.

Kolbe Cathedral vs. ND-Fairfield, Dec. 19: Rivals meet in their now traditional early season game at Sacred Heart's Pitt Center.

Central at St. Joseph, Feb. 8: The Hilltoppers upset the top-seeded Cadets in the FCIAC quarterfinals for the only blemish on the Class LL champs record, adding a little more juice to an always competitive pairing.

Trinity Catholic at Bassick, Feb. 18: Rematch of last season's FCIAC title game comes on the eve of this year's playoffs.

Conference watches

FCIAC

Bassick (20-6, FCIAC champ) loses eight seniors for the second straight year, including dynamic forward Demetrius Thomas. The Lions are always a tough team to count out and still figure to be in the FCIAC playoff hunt. Top returners include 6-foot-8 senior Demetrius Young and sophomore guards Kobe Ancrum and Curhone Baldwin. ... Central (12-10) is inexperienced on the varsity level outside of junior point guard Tyler Ancrum and sophomore forward Marcus Blackwell. Still, there is some buzz around the FCIAC that the Hilltoppers will be much improved and could contend for the league title by February. ... Fairfield Ludlowe (9-12) is inexperienced in its starting lineup. Seniors Patrick Gutierrez and Connor Peterson will be leaned on heavily for the Falcons, who will rely on their defense to keep them in games. ... Fairfield Warde (11-10) is another team lacking varsity experience. Seniors Hunter Smaldone, T.J. Tracey and Max Garrett along with junior Brian Kerrigan will move into the starting lineup. The Mustangs should use a lot of players, allowing them to run in transition. ... Harding (4-16) took some steps in the right direction in coach Charles Clemons' first season. Will it mean the playoff hiatus lasts only one season? Returning starters DeVaughn McAllister, Terreance Rogers and Reggie Stewart (12.5 ppg.) will hope so. ... McMahon (4-16) has a new coach, Ken Dustin, along with returning guards Larry McKinney and Andy Mitchell. ... Norwalk (10-11) could be on the upswing, led by junior Division I prospect Roy Kane Jr. (12 ppg.). Jabari Dear and Saeed Soulemane will provide the Bears some scoring punch. ... Staples (9-13) has Peter Rankowitz and his 17-ppg average back to lead a senior-laden Wreckers team, which includes James Frusicante, Rosse Whelan and 6-foot-8 center Alex Addessi. ... St. Joseph (25-1, Class LL champ) will have a new look with first-year coach Chris Watts taking over for Vito Montelli. The Cadets don't have as much size as the previous few seasons, but still have talented swingman Quincy McKnight and veterans Jake Pelletier, Johnathan Dzurenda and Raekwon Reid to uphold the program's tradition. ... Trumbull (11-11) will have a very new look following the graduation of nine seniors. The Eagles will rely on their quickness and outside shooting to stay competitive. Senior guards Ryan McCabe, John Watts and Kevin Mott, along with senior forward Luke Waldek, will be important in the Eagles' rotation.

SWC

Barlow (7-13) has a new coach, Matt Whelan. The Falcons are inexperienced, relying on senior Phil Moriber and juniors Jack Gallagher and Will Bracken to carry the load. ... Bunnell (13-8) appears pointed in the right direction. Matt Nolting (19 ppg.) is a four-year starter and consistent 3-point threat. Isaac Vann is an improving inside-outside player, while seniors Tim White and Adam Samuel provide depth and toughness. Sophomore Ryan Pittman will likely run the point. ... Kolbe Cathedral (20-4) comes off a heart-breaking loss in the Class S semifinals to Capital Prep. Five important seniors are gone for the Cougars, but juniors Ian Gardner and Maurice Hill are dynamic players and should be differencemakers for coach Chris Smith. ... Masuk (10-13) starts the season without all-league guard Matt Gerak. It means senior point guard Dom Migliaro will assume a heavier burden of the scoring in his absence. Dan Cahill, Chris Butler and Ryan Fitzpatrick provide the Panthers with some frontcourt depth. ... Newtown (8-11) has a new coach, Tim Tallcouch, taking over for John Quinn. Point guard Sean Elliott is among seven seniors who should factor into the Nighthawks' rotation. ... Notre Dame-Fairfield (21-6, SWC runner-up) still has talented guards Danny Upchuch and Earl Coleman to help push the tempo. The Lancers are a little taller across the board this year with 6-foot-4 junior Jalen Jennings and 6-foot-5 senior Kevin Laing, who returns from a knee injury. Notre Dame's ability to score in transition should keep it a threat within the SWC and Class M. ... Oxford (3-17) is hopeful hard work and hustle can move the Wolverines up the SWC ladder. Seniors James Badas, Steve Mahoney and 6-foot-5 center Jay Mraz give Oxford some size and athleticism in the starting lineup. ... Stratford (12-12) should again have a dynamic backcourt with Bernard Brantley (19 ppg) and Marcus Vereen. The Red Devils lack a true center (or much size) and will rely on players like junior Nick DiIulio to help in the paint. ... Weston (13-10) was a league playoff team last season and bring a lot of that squad back for another go around. Senior guard Charlie DiPasquale figures to be the leader for the Trojans while juniors Troy Flynn, Grant Limone, Asher Lee-Tyson, Ethan Lee-Tyson and Erik Dammen Brower should all contribute.

SCC

Amity (17-6) only has one starter returning, however it's dynamic guard Zac Campbell (15 ppg, 8 rpg). Reserves Remi Farrell, Matt Lettick, Ben Levine and Gardner Broderick will round out the Spartans' starting lineup. ... Fairfield Prep (22-4) has been an elite team the last two seasons. The Jesuits return Tim Butala, Tom Nolan and Keith Pettway while adding 7-foot Trinity Catholic transfer Paschal Chukwu. ... Foran (12-10) could have a solid inside-outside combination with 6-foot-6 center Austin Woods and point guard Kevin Green (10 ppg.) The Lions look like a solid bet for the SCC playoffs and a solid Class M run. Casey McCone and Nick Weissauer provide experience and depth. ... Law (0-20) will aim to get in the win column behind captains Zack Toto, Ryan Siddall and JJ Ciesla. ... Notre Dame-West Haven (1-19) went through a rough season a year ago, but should be improved. Senior Joe Bongiorni (10 ppg, 8 rpg) is a double-double threat. This will be Gary Palladino's final season as head coach after 31 years at the helm. ... Shelton (8-14) had the misfortune of running into Career in the SCC tournament and St. Joseph in the Class LL first round last year. The Gaels are another team without any returning starters. Seniors who should factor into the lineup include Ben Malay, Craig Packnick and Mike Torres. ... West Haven (6-14) will shoot to get back into the Class LL tournament.

REGIONAL

Ansonia (9-12, NVL) will try to stay competitive within a tough division. Senior guards Rayshaun Pender and Vinny Costantino will be important for the Chargers. .. Bullard-Havens (6-14, CSC) could go as many as 10 deep. Junior Tarif Winston was an honorable mention CSC pick last year. Other contributors are Kemarley Singh, Justin Marquez and Kavon Ruffin. ... Derby (5-15, NVL) returns starters Dillon McMahon, a senior point guard, and Tyrae Small, a junior forward. ... O'Brien Tech (13-8, CSC) could have one of the Constitution State Conference's better players in guard Shaquan Jackson. The Condors will use an up to nine-man rotation. ... Platt Tech (4-16, CSC) figures to rely heavily on sophomores. Brad Moore is the Panthers' only returning starter. ... Seymour (2-18, NVL) has some senior depth. Starts Mike Conlan (10 ppg.), Jimmy Vartelas and Mike Tuscano are back. Junior Tyler Stevens will play a role for the Wildcats, too.